By David Martosko, U.s. Political Editor and Associated Press President Barack Obama inserted himself into the Arab-Israeli conflict on Friday, issuing a statement  that encouraged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to minimize civilian deaths in its ground push into Hamas-ruled Gaza. At he same time, he assured him that the U.S. supports Israel's right to self-defense. 'No nation should accept rockets being fired into its borders or terrorists tunneling into its territory,' Obama told reporters in the White House press briefing room. Half a world away, Israeli troops advanced into Hamas-ruled Gaza while Hamas militants scurried through terror tunnels .

Israel's ground incursion followed a 10-day campaign of more than 2,000 airstrikes that had failed to halt relentless but largely ineffective Hamas rocket fire on

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- Arab cities.
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- Gaza cities.
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- Israeli cities.
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- Obama cities.
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Israel cities.